One of the Best Days of my Life
by melody425
Summary: Sara Sidle has come to Las Vegas to assist an old friend on a difficult case. Starts with the episode Cool Change and goes to the end of season 1. It gives Sara's thoughts about each moment she shares with Grissom. I do not own any of the CSI characters.
1. Vegas

Wow, today will probably be one of the best days of my life. So far I've gotten to fly from San Francisco to Las Vegas first class, book a room in a really nice hotel, and play the slot machines a couple of times in a casino. The best part of all though, will be seeing him. For the past year I have only had contact with him through email. I've had to guess how he looks and how he feels because he only talks about work over email. Always asking me questions and telling me facts about a case he is working on. I always answer his questions and give him new facts to ponder. I've missed what we had before he moved to Vegas, when he was my teacher. I use to go to all his seminars and then after we would go out for coffee and discuss the latest cases, which would lead to talks about other things and eventually lead into discussions about our personal lives. When he said he was moving to Vegas for a job I was happy for him, but I knew our relationship would change. He promised he would email me every week and he did, but it became strictly about work. I guess it happened because we weren't talking face to face anymore. Hopefully that will change now that he's asked me to come to Vegas and help him with a difficult case.

I remember the phone conversation word for word.

"Hello?"

"Well hello Ms. Sidle."

_Oh my god! Only my professors have ever called me Ms. Sidle and none of them have kept contact with me except…_

"Grissom, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?"

"I'm good. Just a little surprised to hear your voice. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. Listen, I have a big favour to ask you. There has been a case where I think some misconduct has occurred and I need someone to do some searching for me."

"Okay just give me the information and I'll get right on it."

"The only snag is that it has to be undercover so I need to you to come to Vegas."

_This is unbelievable. Is Gil Grissom actually inviting me to come to Vegas to help him?_

"Sure. When you need me to come?"

"The soonest you can get here."

"Okay! I'll take a week off of work and take the soonest flight out of San Francisco."

"That'll be great. I'll email you the details of the investigation. See you soon. Bye."

"Bye"


	2. Seeing him again

Oh my gosh, it was going to be good to see him again. I follow his directions to get to the crime scene. As soon as I get there I can pick him out, no problem. He is taking photos of simulation dummies being dropped from the roof of the hotel. He is so old school. Wow, he still looks so handsome. Just the way I remember him. Dark hair with a little bit of grey mixed in, blue-green eyes, and his bow leg which I always thought was cute. As I sit in the car observing him for a few seconds my mind is racing with thoughts about what I should say first. Should it be simple, smart, abrupt, sexy, I have no clue. Finally, I get out.

"Norman pushed, Norman jumped, and Norman fell."

"Wouldn't you if you were married to Mrs. Roper?"

_Yes, good job. Your opening line was witty._

"I don't even have to turn around. Sara Sidle."

_Wow, he still recognizes my voice._

"That's me. Still tossing simulation dummies? There are other ways to tell, you know?"

_But, Grissom is way too "old fashioned" to ever try a computer simulation._

"How? Computer simulation? No thanks. I'm a scientist I like to see it. Newton dropped the apple, I drop dummies."

_Well, he certainly hasn't changed at all._

"You're old school."

"Exactly, and this guy was pushed."

_Oh crap, I forgot about the girl in surgery he told me about. Great, he must think I'm a very sensitive person._

"How's the girl?"

"She's still in surgery. She's not doing very well."

"That's too bad."

"God, Sara, I have some any unanswered whys."

"There's only one why that matters now. Why did Warrick Brown leave that scene?"


	3. Staying

He's asked me to stay. I can't believe that I said yes. He calls me down to help him with a difficult investigation for one week and during that week I move my entire life from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

_Earlier that week_

After I saw him throw simulation dummies off the roof of the hotel I went to the CSI lab to get to work. When I got there I met this woman named Catherine who was cold to me at first but I think she was just intimidated. Anyone being intimidated of me is crazy. I know there are way better people out in the world than me. Once I cleared the air and told her I was not trying to take over she warmed up to me a little.

My next task was to go investigate Warrick Brown. I wanted to know why in the world he would leave a rookie like Holly Gribbs on an assignment alone! He totally ignored protocol! So, I asked him my burning questions and he gave me very vague answers. He was really pissing me off.

I thought I would see more of Grissom but I didn't until my third last day in Vegas. He called me into his office to ask me something. I thought it would be about something stupid like a bug, but it wasn't. He told me he was very impressed by the way I worked and since they were short handed because of Holly's death they would like me to stay. Yeah, it would have been nice if he said, "I want you to stay" but hey, I'll take what I can get. So, now I'm renting a small one bedroom apartment and having all of my stuff shipped over from my place in San Francisco. I can't believe I made such a rash decision on the spur of the moment but in my heart I know it's because of him. Gil Grissom makes me do strange things.


	4. High Profile

Las Vegas is a busy place. I've only lived here for a day and I'm already on a high profile case with Grissom. I wish I could say it was just Grissom and me but Nick Stokes is on the case too. He's a nice guy with a very Texan accent. Our case is high profile because it's a missing person case. Laura Garris was kidnapped and now the kidnapper wants 2 million dollars for her. The husband is willing to pay but we're hoping to find her before the payment becomes necessary. I'm working the scene with Nick. I'm doing photographic evidence and Nick's doing audio. I really wanted to do audio but unfortunately Nick outranks me.

_(At the crime scene)_

"Get a picture of the security pad. Someone touches it before it's dusted, I break their fingers. Shoot the mirror, point of disturbance the lamp, point of disturbance ..."

_(Nick enters)_

"... you're standing in my crime scene."

"No. You're in mine."

_(He holds up a disk)_

"You're doing audio? I wanted that."

"I outrank you."

"Technicality. Who did Grissom handpick to work here?"

_Score one for me! Grissom did ask me to stay._

"Keep telling yourself that."

_I will._

_**(Later that morning)**_

It amazes me how one man could be so oblivious. We were processing the bedroom and I was trying to give my analysis but he wasn't paying any attention! He was off in his own little world.

"Cursory call -- looks like a professional job. Our guy bypasses the security system, surprises the wife in the back hall, and drags her in here. She grabs onto the doorway -- sign of struggle. No sign of sexual assault. He's in, they're out. Probably ... egress through those doors. Excuse me, is my evaluation interrupting you?"

"No, no, no. I barely heard you."

_Great he doesn't even notice me._

"Glad I have a healthy ego. You find something interesting there?"

"Dirt."

_Wow, that's descriptive._

"You're ... so ... technical ... I can hardly keep up, but ..."

"Oh, sorry, but, uh ... out of context, it's ... just dirt."

_Okay..._

_(Grissom steps through the open balcony doors and out into the backyard patio. I follow him. He looks around. I sniff.)_

_What is that smell?_

"Did you just slap on bad cologne?"

"I never wear it. It interferes with the job."

_Really? I think he always smells good._

It's almost sweet."

_(Grissom sees something)_

"Hmm."

_(He finds a cloth on the ground. He picks it up and smells it. He offers it to me to smell.)_

"Can't be chloroform."

"Halothane, maybe."

"We'll confirm it in GC mass spec."

_(I reach into my kit to grab an evidence bag.)_

""Looks like a professional job," I think you said."

_(I smile at him)_

_Damn it. A professional would not leave his halothane rag at the scene. I think Grissom is smirking at me. I hate being wrong, well, right now I don't mind that much because he looks really cute._

"Care to amend your evaluation? I mean, if the guy forgets the rag he used to knock her out, he can't be much of a pro."

"I keep trying to be your star pupil."

_And I want to be another thing your life too._

"Sara that was a seminar, this is real."


	5. Muscle

I didn't realize a high profile case would involve so much muscle power. The good news is that we found Laura Garris alive, but the bad news was that she was buried alive and Grissom and I had to dig her out with our bare hands.

_**Earlier that day**_

_(In the lab, I am looking through a microscope containing Grissom's very descriptive dirt)_

"The gold flecks -- that's easy -- it's gold. The little gray squiggles? Cyanide."

_(I look up)_

_Cyanide, that bugger poisoned her._

"Cyanide? He poisoned her?

"No. Did you know that Nevada produces 80 of the country's gold? Miners drop cyanide powder into the dirt and it draws the gold to the surface."

_Wow, for a bug man Grissom knows about a lot of things._

"And how does a bug specialist know so much about dirt?"

"I had a case five years ago. We found a skeleton in an abandoned gold mine. I thought it was a murder, turned out the guy passed out drunk and the cyanide leached into his system."

_Lovely…_

"Gruesome, Grissom."

"You know, it's funny but every case teaches me something about the next."

_And everything I do with you teaches me more about the complex man you are._

"So when you said, "Follow the dirt"...?"

"Gold mine -- it's possible that's where he's got her."

_So, even things he says are out of context end up being critical to the case. He is such an amazing CSI; if he wasn't there I would have totally missed the dirt and missed the lead._

"Great. There's got to be 100 gold mines in Nevada."

_Too much work!_

"True, but how many are near power lines within range of the drop zone?"

_(Grissom unrolls a map)_

"There are only three."

_Grissom is such a smart man. Is there anything wrong with him? Oh, right he's totally oblivious when it comes to the opposite sex!_


	6. Found alive

You would think that a helicopter ride would be fun but not when it's late at night, there are coyotes, and it's with Gil Grissom.

_(Grissom and I are in a helicopter searching the ground around the mines with a heat sensor)_

"Freaky. Is that what I think it is?"

"It's a pack of coyotes. The sensor picks any form of body heat, two legged or four legged."

_Is it just me or is it really warm in this helicopter. It's like I feel the heat radiating off of him because we are sitting so close together to look through the heat sensor._

"Come on, give us something two-legged."

_Hey, I'm right here._

"Last mine. We've circled it twice."

"Yeah, well, we'll circle it again."

_Okay…sorry._

_(I lean over to the pilot to tell him to circle again)_

_(Grissom sees something)_

"What was that? Go back."

"Where?"

_(I see some sort of heat mass on the heat sensor)_

"Swing around!"

_(As we swing around I see a person lying with their hands bound)_

_Oh my god. She is below the surface._

"My god, she's below the surface."

"Okay, let's land! Take her down! Down!"

_(Helicopter lands)_

"Ground team is right behind us. I'll guide them in.

_(We exit the helicopter)_

"She's got to be right up here."

_(We search the ground)_

"Mrs. Garris!"

"Mrs. Garris! Can you hear us?"

"Mrs. Garris!"

"We're with the Las Vegas Police Department!"

_(We hear a muffled scream below the surface)_

"Here! She's here!"

_(We start digging)_

_I hope we get to her in time._

"Got something here!"

_(The emergency personnel are coming over)_

"Come on!"

"Get that end!"

"Yeah, come over!"

_(We start to see a wooden box covered in dirt)_

"Got to get her air! Give me a pick, an ax, something. Get away. Let me get in there."

_(An officer hands Grissom a pick and Grissom lifts the lid)_

"_Pull it!"_

_(The officer's lift the lid off and inside is Laura Garris)_

_Oh my god._

"Oh my god."

_(Grissom kneels down to help Mrs. Garris up)_

"Okay, we're going to pull her up."

_(The officers lift Mrs. Garris up)_

"Sara, get me something to cut this tape off. Are you okay Mrs. Garris? You're going to be okay now. Get this off."

_(I hand Grissom the scissors and he cuts the tape off her wrists. The officers escort Mrs. Garris away)_

_I feel sick._

_(Grissom puts his hand to my cheek)_

"You okay?"

"Never ceases to amaze me what people do to each other."

_You never cease to amaze me either Gil Grissom._


	7. Tape me up

I may be going crazy because I think Grissom and I actually had a somewhat intimate moment. After we found Laura Garris alive I started putting some evidence together to try and figure out what happened. I wanted to run a scenario by Grissom.

_(Catherine and Grissom are walking down the hall as I am walking into the garage)_

"Hey Grissom…could you come tape me up?"

_I wonder how he'll react to that statement._

_(I disappear into the garage but I hear him say to Catherine)_

"I love my work."

"It shows."

_Oh my god…Grissom just said something that could be interpreted as flirting…if I was actually present!_

_(Grissom comes in and tapes up my wrists)_

_Did he just lick his lips at me? Focus, Sara, focus on the case._

"So, you found Laura's hairs here ... passenger side, front seat?"

"Right, not in the back, which made me ask, what kind of a kidnapper puts a woman bound and unconscious in the front seat? The back of my arm isn't touching the sheepskin, see?"

"Yeah, so?"

_He's going to love this!_

"But, there is sheepskin fiber on the back of Laura's sleeve. That tells us Laura sat back like a normal person would. Cut me, Mack"

_(Grissom cuts the tape off my wrists)_

"Like this."

_(I push my arms back against the seat to illustrate my point)_

"So she wasn't bound at all?"

_Now he's starting to get it. Here's my favourite part!_

"Correct. But, would a kidnapper risk putting an unconscious woman in the front seat of his car, even unbound? Answer is usually in the question -- you taught me that. So, was she unconscious? We found halothane on the patio. Halothane knocks you out ... if you take it."

_Yes! I've so solved the case and impressed Grissom all at once and all by myself!_

"So, you're saying she never inhaled the halothane?"

"Proof would be in her blood. Halothane stays in the system up to 48 hours."

"How pleased am I that I got a sample of her blood?"

_No way! He already knew this! Crap! I've embarrassed myself by looking all arrogant and cocky._

"So you can go check at the lab, see how it turned out."

_Ugh! I can't believe I did this._

_(I stand up so I am inches from his body)_

"Damn it, I wanted to carry the ball over the line."

_(He smiles and I smile back)_

"I know."


	8. Quadruple

Well, Grissom and I, oh and Nick too, solved the case. Mrs. Garris (total gold digger) was running off with her boyfriend and her husband's money, case closed. That case was a week ago. I haven't spoken any more than ten words to Grissom since. I had a case with Nick and then a case with Warrick but now I'll have another case with Grissom, hopefully. I was at home listening to my police scanner, yes I know I'm a freak, and I heard of a quadruple homicide that Grissom was heading to. I decided I would drop by and see if he needed any help.

_(Grissom is doing a preliminary walk through and the officer who is taking his notes looks like he's going to hurl. I take the clipboard from him)_

"I got it. Go get some fresh air."

_(Grissom just stares at me. I smile sweetly)_

"I heard on the scanner. Quadruple, figured you might need a hand."

"You don't sleep, do you?"

"No."

_You should know that by now._

_(I see a blood swirl on the wall)_

"Blood swirl on the wall. Are you thinking cult? Manson?"

_(Grissom shakes his head)_

"Somebody left a message. I need to see the rest of it."

_(We walk into the master bedroom and see Mrs. Collins body. Grissom recites and I write)_

"Female Caucasian appears to be one stab wound to the throat, transection of left and right carotid arteries with exsanguinating hemorrhage. No defense marks. Cursory opinion: She was killed in her sleep."

_(I hear something dripping. Grissom and I look down and see her blood pooling on the floor from her fingertips)_

"Do you feel this?"

_Yes…_

"Her soul's still in the room."

"But there's something else."

_I hope there is._


	9. Taxi Service

I can't believe it! The biggest case of the year and Grissom wants me to play babysitter! The quadruple murder had two survivors: Tina Collins, and Brenda Collins. Brenda is only seven years old. Grissom wants me to stay with her! Why didn't he ask Catherine! She's the mom!

_**Earlier that day**_

_(Grissom walks over to me)_

"You want me inside?"

_Please say yes._

"I need you to transport the little girl to the police department. Brass is waiting for you."

_What! This is the biggest case of the year! I'm not a babysitter, I'm a CSI and I want to be here with you!_

"You're kidding me, right? I'm a taxi service on the biggest case of the year?"

_(Grissom sighs)_

"Sara ... I need one of us with that little girl."

_(He leaves me with my mouth gaping)_

_I can't believe him!_

_**Later back at CSI**_

_If Grissom is going to stick me as a taxi service, I can at least have a little fun._

"What did you find out about the psych exam on the little girl?"

"The shrink says the kid is in a catatonic state from a trauma. I could've told you that. But she did respond to the name "Buffalo.""

"Respond how?"

"She freaked out."

"And ... what are you doing about it now?"

_I am going to make him worry._

"I am going back to the girl. I left her in the car."

_(Grissom just stares at me)_

_Here's the killer._

"The windows are cracked."

_(Grissom looks blank. I start to smile)_

"Give me a little credit. She's at the hospital."

_(I keep smiling as I stand up and leave)_

_**Later**_

_(My phone rings)_

_Grissom_

"Hello?"

"Sara?"

_I love the way he says my name._

"Yeah?"

"Sara. When they examined the little Collins girl did they check for sexual abuse?"

_Yes…why?_

"There were no overt signs. Why?"

_Oh no._

"Have some ultraviolet photographs taken."

_**Later in the Dark room**_

_(I hold up the photos and see tons of bruises)_

"Damn it. Look at all those bruises."

_The poor thing…_

"Somebody was all over this kid."

_Big time…_


	10. Red Creeper

Ewe. I feel so sorry for Brenda and her mother Tina. Yeah, I know, Tina was her "sister." Turns out that Tina's father raped her and got her pregnant with Brenda. When he started raping Brenda, Tina got her boyfriend to kill the whole family. I know it's very strange.

Since that case is closed, Grissom, Catherine, and I are on a new case. Our first meeting about the case didn't go very well for me. I embarrassed myself really badly.

_**Earlier that day**_

_(Catherine and I are sitting at the table as Grissom enters)_

"Okay, we're going off the board tonight."

_What's off the board?_

"Off the board?"

_(Catherine draws a fish on her clipboard)_

"The ones that got away, fish."

_Oh…duh!_

"Ah. I missed that one."

_(Grissom goes and stands beside the fish shaped cork board)_

_Wow Sidle, you're so stupid! Good job at embarrassing yourself._

"First victim is Royce Harmon. About three months ago, Brass and I found this guy dead in his own bathtub, but his "suicide" was staged. I think the killer has killed again."

_(Grissom hands the photos to me)_

"Photos of tonight's victim: Stuart Rampler. Play the "pick six things that are different" game. Bet you lose."

_I always lose when I play against you._

"This guy's good."

_(Catherine looks at the photos)_

"Not good, exceptional. Print examiner lifted a thumbprint off the mini-recorder near the tub of our first victim. The print came back this."

_(Catherine shows me a fake hand used at Halloween)_

_Lovely_

"The killer purchased one of these rubber hands laced the fingertips with cooking spray and proceeded to place false prints all around the crime scene."

_Wow, smart._

"This guy is good. Whose prints are these?"

"Some guy who works in a warehouse making Halloween paraphernalia. Scary masks, air-brushed tombstones, rubber hands. Turns out he used his own hand for the mold."

"So what do we do?"

_Please let me be with you._

"We split up. You and I go to the coroner. Sara, you go to the hotel.

Dust every inch of that bathroom. Here. Use this –"

_Ugh! Why do I have to go solo?_

_(Grissom hands me a container filled with red powder)_

""Red Creeper," my own concoction."

_Wow, that's impressive._

"Wow."

"Well, serious case, serious print powder. Be thorough. Don't take anything for granted."

_I feel special._

"Yes sir."

_Wow, nice going! Could you sound anymore juvenile? _

_(I leave the office)_

_**At the crime scene**_

_(Officer Evans is with me as I use the "Red Creeper" on the bathtub)_

_Wow, I'm impressed! Grissom's concoction is amazing…just like him._

"Wow, this stuff rocks. I love bathrooms. Last time I printed a hotel bathroom, I had over 1,000 prints. Okay ... close the doors and hit the lights, daddy-O."

_That was cheesy._

_(Evans turns off the lights. I don't see any prints)_

"Not even a single print. This guy is a real pro, he even sterilized everything."

_**Break room, the next day**_

_(I enter to fill Grissom and Catherine in on what I found)_

"I did some comparative digging on both victims -- Royce Harmon and Stuart Rampler. Both are white males in their 40s, single and ... both have the same birthday."

_(Grissom looks at the paper in my hands)_

"Royce Harmon, born August 17, 1958, Stuart Rampler, born August 17, 1957, one year apart."

_Isn't Grissom's birthday in August? Hmm…I can't remember._

_(Catherine looks at the paper next)_

"Okay, so maybe it's some reverse or backwards pattern. August 17, 1958 ... 1957: The suicide message was recorded backwards; the postage stamp was upside-down ..."

"Yeah."

_(Grissom looks at me)_

"Maybe he's telling us, in order to go forward, go back. Sara, go back one more year -- August 17, 1956. See if anything pops up with the same M.O."

_I'm all over it._

"I'm gone."


	11. Flying high

The one that got away: Paul Millander. Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Greg, Mandy, Grissom, and I worked so hard and yet he still got away. He must be the smartest criminal in history to be able to set up a fake Halloween shop one day and have it completely traceless the next.

Our new case is a moving crime scene. Our crime scene is on a plane. Our victim died during the plane ride and all of the passengers are keeping their mouths shut. Our job is to open them. Catherine and Warrick are doing interviews, which means that Nick, Grissom, and I have the plane to collect evidence. Yeah, Nick is there but hey, at least I'm with Grissom for this case.

_**Later that day**_

Wow! It turns out a plane can increase blood pressure on the ground as well as up in the air! Grissom and I we're in the bathroom looking for evidence.

_(Grissom and I head to the lavatory. I peer over his shoulder)_

_I think he uses Old Spice body wash._

"No evidence."

_(I get the ALS from my kit)_

"No "patent" evidence. But if there's blood present there may be latent evidence."

_(I hand him the ALS)_

"I am one step ahead of you, every so often."

_(I smile sweetly at him)_

_I'd like to be ahead of you more often._

"Thank you."

_No problem._

"Well. Would you hand me the Christopher Columbus from my field kit? Thank you."

_(I hand him the microscope. He starts looking around)_

_I have a feeling he is not going to find blood._

"I take it that's not blood."

"No... but there's protein in it."

_The mile-high club is very popular._

"Oh, the mile-high club. That means the two passengers may have had no idea what was going on inside that cabin."

_(Grissom continues to look around)_

"You know, high altitude enhances the entire sexual experience. It increases the euphoria."

_Excuse me? Did Gil Grissom just say a sentence that involves the word sex? Oh my god._

"Well ... it's good. I don't know if it's that good."

_Oh crap, me and my big mouth._

_(Grissom gives me a curious glance upward)_

_Well…let's see how far he'll take this._

"Cite your source."

_(Grissom looks uncomfortable)_

"Hand me a swab, please."

_No way, is he going to bull his way out of this!_

"You're avoiding the question. "It enhances sexual experience, increases euphoria." Cite your source."

_(Grissom looks up at me)_

_I love his blue eyes._

"A magazine."

_Yeah right._

"What magazine?"

"Applied Psychodynamics in Forensic Science."

_He is soo making this up!_

"I've never heard of it."

"I'll get you a subscription."

_Oh, whatever._

"Now, cite your source."

_What? No, he's got to be joking._

"Oh ... now you want to go down that route?"

_Please say no._

"Yeah."

_(I smile at him)_

_Maybe if I smile enough he'll let me off the hook._

"Nah, never mind."

"You started it."

_Okay…I did but I didn't think he would take it this far! Oh well, here we go._

"Delta Airlines, Flight 1109, Boston-Miami, March '93, Ken Fuller. Hazel eyes, Organic Chem Lab TA, BMOC ... overrated ... in ... every aspect."

_(Grissom just stares at me)_

_I think I've dumbfounded him for once._

"Could ... we ... get back to work, please?"

_(Grissom stands up)_

_Oh no._

"Yeah. I think, due to your, uh ... firsthand knowledge and experience in airplane bathrooms, you should do the swab."

_Damn._

_(He walks past me and we exchange a smile)_

_He always manages to make me do his dirty work, although, I don't mind that much._


	12. Abusers

Our high flying crime on the plane was a bust. Since we couldn't pin point who actually gave the killing blow (it was a group murder) all the passengers were released. Our new case is a homicide in the mountains. I get to work with Grissom alone so I am very excited! The body was found in a ditch and was covered in bugs. Grissom was very content but I was so uncomfortable because I hate bugs. He assured me we were okay and the bugs were to busy feasting to bother us, so I felt a little relief.

_**Back at the lab**_

_(Grissom and I are getting ready to leave the break room to go to our autopsy, leaving Nick alone.)_

"Need help with your homicide?"

_Oh! Please say no Grissom._

"No. Sara's going to work with me."

_Yes! Hopefully I'll get some quality time with Grissom._

_(Nick looks over at me and I just smile innocently back at him.)_

_He is so jealous._

_**In the Interrogation room**_

_(Scott Shelton, the husband, is sitting across the table and Grissom has just shown him the X-rays of his wife, all the abuse fractures highlighted.)_

"I never laid a hand on my wife."

_Oh please_

"How about a gun?"

_(Scott looks at me and then turns to Grissom)_

"You have your hands full with her."

_I wish he did._

"So do you."

_You bet he does._

"We need to search your apartment."

_**In Scott's apartment**_

_(I am checking the floor near the door for evidence. I see some green fibers like ones from the blanket we found at the crime scene. I feel Grissom's eyes on me.)_

"Does this back door lead to your car?"

"It leads to a car. I drive a different demo every day. Perk of the dealership."

_(I sniff the air and smell a familiar odour.)_

"Do you smell that Grissom?"

_I know it is not your body wash._

_(Grissom looks at Scott.)_

"Did you do laundry back here today?"

_(I start to check the floor for blood.)_

"I've got news for you, Scott. Bleach doesn't make blood disappear. You just can't see it with the naked eye."

_(I start to check the walls for blood. I still feel Grissom's eyes moving with me. A streak of blood appears. Scott looks uncomfortable.)_

"I have no idea how that got there."

_(I start to become angry.)_

_You do know you jerk!_

"It "got there" when you shot your wife in the head before you wrapped her in a blanket and you dumped her in the mountains!"

_(I get in Scott's face and point at him with my finger. He swats my hand away from his face. I push him.)_

"Get your finger out of my face, bitch!"

_No he didn't!_

_(Grissom comes between us and grabs me by the shoulders.)_

"Sara!"

_(I am still looking at Scott and he is looking at me.)_

"You touch me again, you draw back a stump!"

_I'll rip you to pieces!_

"Look at her!"

_(Grissom is trying to make eye contact with me.)_

"Sara!"

_Not now Griss!_

"Can't you control her?"

_(Grissom is still looking at me.)_

"Get him out of here Jim."

_(Jim tries to usher Scott out of the room.)_

"I told you she was a handful."

_You jerk!_

"Come on."

"You don't know a handful!"

_And you never will!_

_(Brass finally gets him out of the room. Grissom still has a firm grip on my shoulders and is looking at me intently.)_

"Hey. Hey. What is the matter with you?"

_I can't even believe you are asking!_

"I am a woman, and I have a gun. And look how he treated me. I can only imagine how he treated his wife."

_(I shrug off Grissom's grip on my shoulders and walk away from him.)_

_Men!_


	13. Five Days

I feel like an idiot. Earlier, my brain was telling me that Grissom was being a cold hearted jerk, but my heart knew better. It just took a couple of days for Grissom to come to his senses and come to my side, but I forgive him because he is a guy and they are just stupid sometimes.

_**Grissom's Office**_

_(Grissom and I are looking at the entomological timeline he has made.)_

_All we need is for her to be dead five days and he is nailed to her murder._

"What did you get?"

_(He sighs.)_

_Oh no! Come on Grissom, just tell me five days. We know he did this!_

"She's been dead three days."

_What the…! No freaking way! Her jerk of a husband did it! She must have been dead five days not three!_

"Are you positive? Not five?"

"Three."

_You must have done something wrong!_

_**Later in the break room**_

_(I am sleeping with my head on the table when Grissom enters and my tea kettle starts to whistle. He takes it off the burner.)_

"Sara?"

_(I start to lift my head off of the table. He speaks more softly.)_

"Sara? You okay?"

_Awe, thanks for asking. Wait! No props for you, you screwed up the entomological timeline some how!_

"Fine, yeah."

"Did you sleep here?"

_No…_

"I was working till 4:00 A.M. I combed every demo Scott's driven, zilch. What's up?"

_Please tell me you made a mistake and she has been dead for five days._

"I need you to do some background for me on Warrick without letting him know why."

_Great, you want me to do work on your favourite CSI. That's just great._

"Oh. Warrick, your favorite CSI."

"That's why I want you to handle it, so that Ecklie can't accuse me of favoritism if it turns out that Warrick's clean."

_That's just awesome…I'm glad you "trust" me so much to do a background search on your favourite CSI. I'm glad I'm so worthy for the task, please, spare me. Unfortunately, he is my boss now._

"What do you want to know?"

**_End of shift in Grissom's office_**

_(I enter and lean on the door frame. He is engrossed in an entomological text book.)_

"Hey."

_(He looks up from his book.)_

"Did you find out anything about Warrick?"

_No…not yet. I haven't even started._

"Um ... I'm-I'm here about something else. You ... you know how you say, we're the victim's last voice?"

"Mm-hmm."

_Ugh! Can't you say anything else? I am going to pour my heart out here. Can't you tell?_

"I thought it was our job to speak for Kaye Shelton."

"You don't crunch evidence to fit a theory."

_I know that, but we both know he did it! I just think you made a mistake._

"What if you hear the victim's screams? You hear them in the car, and at the store."

_It is so creepy and disturbing._

You have empathy for her, Sara. You want someone to pay for what was done to her. That's normal.

_You just don't understand. I can't believe I am going to say this. _

"You want to sleep with me?"

_(Grissom freezes. He does not speak for a couple of seconds. He puts down his book and his glasses.)_

_Wow…I think I've caused him a heart attack._

"Did you just say what I think you said?"

_Yes and I wish you would agree to it._

"That way, when I wake up in a cold sweat under the blanket, hearing

Kaye's screams ...you can tell me it's nothing. It's just empathy."

_I can't even believe I did that._

_(I leave his office with him staring blankly at me.)_

_**The next night in a deserted parking lot**_

_(Grissom is recording his observations on a dead pig.)_

_I had heard he was planning an experiment to see if he had make a mistake and she was dead five days. It has to do with blanket, I think, how tightly she was wrapped in it. I am so glad he is doing this for me. I know it's for me. He looks so cute, but cold. I'm glad I brought hot coffee and blankets._

_(I walk up to him with an appreciative smile on my face. He smiles back. I put my kit down and sit beside him as he puts down a case for me to sit on. Grissom takes off his glasses as I pull a thermos of hot coffee and blankets from my bag. I give him a cup of coffee and wrap a blanket around his shoulders. He just stares at me with a big smile on his face. My face mimics his. I put my hand on his shoulder.)_

"Thanks."


	14. Autopsy

The one thing I dislike about Grissom is his love for interesting stories and riddles that help him illustrate a point. Although we figured out Kaye could have been dead five days, it still wasn't enough to nab the husband for the murder. I heard Grissom was going to an autopsy. I thought he had already moved onto another case.

_(Grissom is leaning on the wall outside of the morgue reading a file.)_

"I heard you were going into an autopsy. How can you just move on to another case? They're laughing at us. You know that, right? They think we're a couple of 'science nerds'. They threw out our findings."

_I can't believe he is just giving up!_

"You know, there was a murder recently in a village on the other side of the world. Every man in the village denied having any part of it. The victim's throat had been slashed with a shovel. So this one guy, I guess you could call him a "science nerd," asked all the men in the village to bring their shovels to the center of town and hold them spade-side up, and he waited. Eventually, flies started showing up on one specific shovel looking for microscopic bits of blood and flesh."

_(I nod.)_

_Duh! I'm a CSI. I know this story._

"First witness to a crime."

"The investigator got his murderer, and..."

"...and forensic science was born, Sung T'su, 1235 A.D. You call 800 years ago recent?"

"To an astronomer, it is. But then people forgot about forensic science, didn't they? And they had to be reminded again by Francesco Redi in the 1600s."

_Yes and again by…_

"Yes and again by Bergeret D'Arbois in the 1800s."

"Every civilization learns what it needs to know and the next one forgets it."

_Ugh! I hate it when he's so right._

"We're part of the cycle."

"Yeah, they laughed at fingerprints 70 years ago, and now its law.

_But…_

"Except somebody had to push for prints. And you're standing there saying all things in their own time."

"You're confused, right?"

_(I shake my head.)_

_No…well maybe…yes._

_(I nod.)_

"Yes."

"That's the best place for a scientist to be."

_Wow, I think my brain actually hurts and I feel kind of dizzy._

_(David is coming down the hall with the body on a gurney.)_

"My body's here."

_(Grissom lifts the sheet for me to see the body and a huge smile spreads across my face.)_

"Kaye Shelton."

_(I look at Grissom and see him smiling at me. He motions towards the door.)_

"Shall we?"

_(He opens the door for me.)_

In the autopsy we found a blue smudge around the bullet wound. I had an idea and found out that the blue mark was Teflon and there was Teflon on Scott's bullets. This connected his gun to the murder. I went to tell Grissom.

_(I show Grissom the folder with my findings.)_

"You did very well. But this is just more circumstantial evidence. We're a long way from a conviction."

_(I smile at him.)_

_But you always say…_

"But we can bury him under evidence. You're the one who's always saying it's better to have one piece of forensic evidence than ten eyewitnesses."

_(He just stares at me.)_

"What, do you tape everything I say?

_(I shrug.)_

_Maybe…you'll never know._

"You still have to educate the jury."

"On bullets. It's got to be easier than bugs."

_(Grissom smiles at me.)_

"Less Latin."

_(I smile back and his smile grows widely.)_

_**Later in Grissom's Office**_

_(As I enter his office he is sorting folders.)_

"Hi."

_(He looks up at me.)_

"Hi."

_I hope he's prepared for the bad news._

"I checked out Warrick. His story about missing court was, uh ... lame. I got this surveillance tape from the Monaco. He was in the casino."

_(I hand him the tape.)_

_Try to be a little sensitive._

"I'm sorry."

_That's original._

_(Grissom looks at me and then down at the tape.)_

"Thanks."

_(I leave his office with him staring down at the tape.)_

_Poor guy._


	15. Favouritism

Grissom has always been late when it comes to handing out assignments. Grissom and I had a good thing going for us when we worked our last case. I hoped I would be able to work solo with him again.

_(We are all waiting in the break room for Grissom to enter and hand out assignments.)_

_Oh, I hope I'm on another case with him, solo._

_(Grissom enters and we all become silent.)_

_He looks flustered._

"Hey, kids. All right, listen, hey, I got to jet. Sara Sidle. 419."

_(He hands the assignment sheet to me and I smile at him.)_

"Dead body, bonus."

_But I'm not with him, so sad. Oh well, at least it's not a stupid robbery or something. Wait, what's going on. I zoned out for a moment._

_(Everyone gets up and leaves but I linger.)_

_I have a bone to pick with you Grissom._

"I filed my report about Warrick."

_Why haven't you taken any disciplinary action yet?_

"I read it."

_(I wait for him to say more but he doesn't, so I walk by him and roll my eyes.)_

_He is showing way too much favouritism._

As I worked my crime scene I came to a startling conclusion. The conclusion was that Grissom had paired me with Warrick, the court skipping, gambler that should be fired. After I snubbed him off and finished processing the scene, I went in search of Grissom.

_(I find him in the lab working.)_

"You weren't in your office."

"And good morning to you too, Miss Sidle."

_Oh don't try to butter me up mister._

"Warrick has a problem. Ignoring it isn't going to make it go away. You asked me for a report and then you disregard my recommendation."

"I read your report."

_Ugh! Is that all you can say to me today?_

"So you feel comfortable jeopardizing a unit to placate an addict?"

"I see the whole puzzle, Sara. You're only seeing one piece."

_Oh please, that is so corny._

"Then at least take him off my case."

"No. I trust him. Do you trust me?"

_I don't know anymore. I thought you trusted me though._


	16. Interruptions

Okay, maybe Grissom was partially right. After working with Warrick on the previous case I learned that he is a pretty trustworthy guy, but still, Grissom shouldn't have just snubbed my report like that.

So, the next day I was looking forward to working another case without Grissom…well not really. I was still kind of upset with him, but I still wanted to work with him. Grissom had just given Nick and Catherine a case at the Monaco. That meant I was either going to be with Warrick again, with Grissom, or with both of them.

"What else you got?"

"You and Warrick are working with me."

_Bonus! This works so well for my mood right now. I want to work with Grissom but not solo because I am still a little ticked off at him. _

"We have a prisoner who has asked me to reopen his case. He sent me a video. He has been committed of burning down his house with his wife and son inside, killing them. He insists he is innocent. We do not have a lot of time. His trial starts in three days."

_Wow…how does Grissom meet all of these strange and interesting people?_

"How did he find you? 1-800-GRISSOM?"

_Ha, that was a good one._

_**At the crime scene**_

_(As we enter the house we both see the damage. Grissom takes out his flashlight.)_

"There is nothing harder to investigate than arson. If the fire hasn't ruined your crime scene..."

_The firemen always ruin it._

"... The firemen have."

"Yeah."

_(I notice a mattress in the middle of the room.)_

_Weird…this is a living room._

"That's a funny place for a mattress."

"Overhaul, post-blaze, firemen remove charred items to neutralize the hot spots. It prevents flare-ups."

_I should have known he would know the answer._

_(Grissom and I head down the hallway leaving Warrick to take pictures in the living room. We pause in front of the little boy's bedroom. I notice a pack with lots of gear in it.)_

_This looks like a camping pack._

"It looks like the kid was going camping."

_(I kneel down and use my tweezers to pull out a container of matches.)_

"Waterproof matches."

"Bag those."

_(Warrick appears in the doorway.)_

"What do you think? The kid might have started it?"

_(Grissom and I are both startled by Warrick's voice.)_

_I think we both forgot he is here with us. We got caught up in our own little world._

_**Later in the lab**_

_(I see Grissom doing an experiment under the fume hood. I lean down to look at it.)_

"Uh... you might want to take three giant steps backward."

_(I step back.)_

_I know enough from experience to listen to Grissom's warnings._

_(Warrick enters.)_

"What's going on?"

"Three drops of gasoline, limited oxygen supply heat to ignition temperature of 932 degrees Fahrenheit."

_Wow…that poor little boy and his mother…wait, what did Grissom just say? Jeez Sidle, you have to stop zoning out like that._

"Tell me you're here to confirm part two."

_Oh, yeah we have the second part of the equation._

"As a matter of fact, here is your doorframe. I had Collins analyze the burn depth. You see these rolling blisters?"

"It's called alligatoring. See the way the woods cracked? It looks like the skin of an alligator."

_Here he goes again with his mini lectures. He just can't control himself._

"Based on the depth of the allir... allo..."

"Alligatoring."

_(I nod my thanks to Warrick.)_

_Great, I'm sure I look smart right now. I can't even pronounce a simple word like allo…allir…oh I give up!_

"This wood burned very hot and very fast."

_(Warrick nods again.)_

"What do we do now?"

_(Grissom looks at Warrick and then at me.)_

"We chase this thing until it leads us to the truth."

_**Grissom's office**_

_(As I am walking by I see him counting the matches. I stop and lean on his doorframe.)_

_He is so involved with his work he doesn't even notice me._

"Counting matches?"

_(He looks up at me.)_

"Yeah."

_(I walk further into his office and stand in front of his desk.)_

_He looks frustrated._

"They are from the kid's room. I counted them yesterday. And I counted them this morning: twenty. They're all there. I really don't know what I'm doing anymore."

_Awe, he is frustrated._

"I have a theory. Do you want to hear it?"

_Please say yes._

_(He looks up at me again.)_

"Sure."

_(I sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.)_

"You know the melted shards of glass we found on the closet floor? They prove that the fire burned at over a thousand degrees, right? But that temperature, combined with the water used to douse the flames would have destroyed most of the accelerant."

"That's what happens."

_(Warrick enters.)_

"So, Ecklie's conclusion of gasoline wasn't based on any physical evidence. It was based on Damon's credit card receipts."

_Damn it Warrick. Why did you have come in now? I was having a nice moment with Grissom…sort of._

_(Grissom shakes his head.)_

"I can't fault him for that. The burn pattern is consistent with a gasoline accelerant."

_But…_

"But, hydrocarbons are found in all kinds of things: Oils, kerosene, polyethylene-based compounds like laxatives, even the foam used in push-up bras."

_Ugh…did I just say that?_

_(Warrick nods at me.)_

_Good, that comment didn't seem to faze either of them._

"Yeah, under the right conditions, any hydrocarbon can be an accelerant."

_(Grissom starts to look excited. He looks at me and smiles.)_

"Thanks Sara."

_Oh! Shut down! He didn't even acknowledge Warrick's contribution!_

_(I smile back at him.)_

_Maybe it was a good thing Warrick interrupted._


	17. Mindmeld

I thought Grissom and I had a real connection when we worked cases together, kind of like a mind-meld. We would both be thinking of the same thing or idea. This is the second case in a row we have worked together. Our new case involves a serial bomber loose in Las Vegas.

_**At the crime scene**_

_(The whole CSI team and I are standing in the parking lot where the bomb went off. Grissom is searching through debris.)_

"The dirty little secret of bombs is how easy they are to make and use, our murder weapon's here someplace in a thousand pieces. We have to find it and put it back together again."

_(Warrick steps closer to Grissom.)_

"Where do we start?"

_Thank you, Warrick. That is the exact same question floating through my mind at the moment._

"If it's not growing pick it up. We cart everything we find back to the lab."

_No way! There has to be at least five thousand pieces of stuff here and what are we going to do with it when we get back to the lab?_

_(I take a step towards Grissom.)_

"And then what?"

_(Grissom turns to look at me in the eye.)_

"Stay curious."

_(Everyone starts to move but I stand still.)_

_I think I saw something "special" in his eyes when he said, "Stay curious," to me. Was it a hint of flirting? Maybe…_

_**Later back at the lab**_

_(Grissom walks up to Catherine and me.)_

"I found something interesting."

_Really?_

"What is it?"

_(Catherine looks at it under her magnifying glass.)_

"It looks like a balance wheel from a clock."

_That means the bomb was time delayed._

"Bomb was time-delayed. This is a piece of the timing device."

_Yet another mind-meld…_

_(I see an orange substance on the wheel.)_

"What about the orange stuff?"

"Heat of the explosion must have melted whatever it is all around the wheel, so, Sara?"

"Uh-huh?"

"What's orange and melts?"

_I don't know…_

"I would have to investigate that."

_(Grissom smiles at me.)_

"Thank you."

_(I smile back.)_

_That cheeky little bugger, I shouldn't have fallen for that old trick._

_**Grissom's Office**_

_(I walk into his office and see him looking at a sample of the orange substance found on the wheel. There are all sorts of clocks around him. One starts to ring.)_

"Hey."

"Could you find that and turn it off, please?"

_(I smile a small smile as I turn my head down to look at his desk and try to find the clock that is ringing.)_

_I always have to do his dirty work._

_(I find the clock and turn it off.)_

"Find the clock our guy used?"

_(Grissom sighs.)_

_I guess not._

"Not yet."

_(I pick up a clock.)_

"This is a good choice. According to the bomb data center which has a record of every component used in any bomb, from Ted Kaczynski to teenage boys playing with fireworks, the most recent timing device of choice is made by TimeTell SnoozeWell, $10.99 at any local drugstore."

_(I hand the clock to Grissom. He looks at me with a sort of hurt look on his face.)_

_What did I do?_

"You spoiled all my fun."

_I don't mean to, I just do sometimes._

_(His hurt look turns into a smile and I smile back. Warrick enters.)_

"What are you guys doing?"

_(I give Warrick a smug glance.)_

_We're going to have fun unlike you._

"We're going to go blow up some bombs."

_(Warrick looks at me enviously.)_

"Oh, I definitely got the wrong end of this investigation."

_(As Warrick leaves Grissom and I exchange a smile.)_

"Alas, poor Warrick."

_**Bomb Detonation Site**_

_(Grissom and I are standing in front of an aluminum briefcase on a slab of concrete.)_

"We find the bomber by understanding the bomb. Fortunately, Catherine figured out the exterior container."

"An aluminum briefcase was the container."

_(We turn around and head towards the "safe zone.")_

"And we know the timing device."

_Thanks to me._

"Snoozewell."

"And the propellant."

"Black gunpowder."

"So the final piece of the bomber's signature?"

"Identify the pipe containing the powder."

"Three bombs scaled down five-to-one three different metal pipes. Different metals fly different distances when the same force is applied. Number one is a plumber's ex-flow pipe. Number two is an inflow pipe which is thinner. Number three is galvanized steel which is the thinnest metal of them all."

_(We reach the "safe blast distance" zone and put on our earphones. I look at Grissom and put my hand on his shoulder to get his attention.)_

_He looks startled to see my hand on his shoulder, but I like it._

"You ready?"

_(He nods.)_

"Let's do it, Dan."

_(The bombs start to explode. Each tube has a different colour of debris. After they finish exploding we go and measure to find which one is our tube from the crime scene.)_

"The bomb was housed in a thin container of galvanized steel, like a muffler or a tailpipe. I've seen it before. It's a common container for home made bombs."

The next day we are called to another crime scene using the same type of bomb. I had found out that the orange substance was polyethylene-terephtalete, but I didn't know where it came from. At the crime scene I noticed the manager wearing an orange safety jacket. I went over and collected it from him and then walked back to Grissom and Brass.

"What are you doing?"

"I believe this is made of polyethylene-terephtalete."

"Polyester."

"Orange stuff."

_(Grissom nods at me as I begin to walk away.)_

_I think I've impressed him._

_**Back at the lab**_

_(I come out of the lab as I see Grissom to tell him the confirmed orange substance.)_

"I have a new favourite colour."

"Orange?"

_Yep!_

"The orange polyester from the bomb is a match to the thrift-right jacket. Guess where their regional headquarters is located."

"The Hansen Building."

_He's starting to catch on._

"You bet. I ran a Lexis search looking for disgruntled employees, irate customers anyone with a grievance against thrift-right."

"You get any hits?"

"A Norman Stirling, former manager."

"How disgruntled was he?"

_Oh, very…_

"Let go last year because he caused a commotion at the head quarters. He filed lawsuits against the company. The guy's been out of work ever since."

_(I turn back to walk into the lab with a smile.)_

_I think I just broke the case!_


	18. Heartless

As soon as we have a good thing going Grissom has to go and break it. Our newest case, that Nick and I are assisting him with, has a young African-American woman who was found in the desert deserted, she is still alive, but in a vegetative state.

_(Grissom, Nick, and I get out of our car and walk over to Brass.)_

"Hey."

_(Brass steps up to us.)_

"Here's what I know so far. Victim was a well-dressed woman, young, black. She's at Desert Palm Hospital, multiple gunshots to the head and possible sexual assault. The doctor has her as death imminent."

_Oh, harsh diagnosis._

_(Grissom turns to look at me.)_

_Uh-oh, he has that look in his eyes. He is going to make me mad, I'm almost sure of it._

"Sara, I'm going to need you to go to the hospital and process the victim: sexual assault kit, hairs, fibers; the works."

_Yep he is._

"Right now? I thought I would help you two with the scene."

"The evidence won't stay on the body long at the E.R."

_But I want to be here at the scene with you damn it! Ugh! Why do you have this Grissom? We work so well together and then you have to go and pull a move like making me do the easy stuff and get me mad! Why?_

"Walk in the park, guys."

_(I walk away.)_

_**Later in the hospital**_

_(I am in the hospital with the Jane Doe, getting evidence off of her. I pull my chair up to her.)_

"This shouldn't have happened to you, but I promise I will find out who did this. I promise."

_(I sit back and sigh. I see Grissom standing in the doorway.)_

_Great, he heard what I said._

"Hey."

"Hey."

_(I stand up.)_

"Sexual assault kit's ready to process."

"How does it look?"

_Well...the poor thing was beaten and robbed. She looks horrible!_

"We'll see. She's um…breathing."

"She's evidence."

_Oh, here comes the lecture. I really don't want to hear the "Don't get emotional in cases Sara," lecture._

_(I turn my back away from him and pretend to work.)_

"Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"If you try and chase two rabbits you end up losing them both."

_What?_

_(I stare at him as he walks out the door.)_

_I am not in the mood for one of his riddles._

_**Back at the lab**_

_(Grissom, Nick, and I are looking at the evidence from an old case that may be related to ours. I pick up the hat found covering the victim's face.)_

"This sweatband might give us DNA and I could compare it to the samples I collected off of Jane at the hospital."

_(Grissom looks surprised at me.)_

"Jane?"

_Crap…I've named the victim._

"Our Jane Doe…the victim.

_(Nick tisks at me.)_

"You're on a first-name basis, Sara?"

_Do not go there Nick…if you want to live another day._

_(I scowl at Nick.)_

"I'll be in DNA."

_(I walk away from both of them.)_

_Men don't understand anything!_

_**Later in the lab**_

_(I am sitting at a computer looking at "Missing Persons" files and humming to myself. I see Grissom walk by and linger in the doorway.)_

_Jeez, just come in already. Does he actually think I haven't noticed him standing there?_

_(He stands there for a few more seconds and then steps into the room.)_

"Hey."

_Finally!_

_(I look up at him for a moment and then look back to the listings on the screen.)_

"What'd the lab say?"

"The DNA from the ball cap is a match to the semen we found on our Jane Doe, but CODIS hasn't kicked out a name."

"So you're just ... looking at missing persons reports?"

_Basically…there's no problem with me doing that._

"We're not having any luck finding the shooter from his DNA with a belt loop so I thought I would at least try and identify the poor woman before she dies."

_(Grissom takes a few steps towards me and leans in close.)_

_Whoa, hello! He never stands this close to me…although I don't really mind._

"Sara, do you have any diversions?"

_Say what?_

"Do I what?"

"You max out on overtime every month and you go home and listen to your police scanner."

_So…what's your point?_

_(I turn to look at him.)_

"You read forensic textbooks."

_We all do. It's apart of our job, duh!_

"Yeah."

_(I turn back to the computer as he sits down beside me.)_

"Look, every day we meet people on the worst day of their lives. It's a lot to deal with. Everyone who's had any time on this job knows that you have to have a diversion in order to cope with what we see. What do you do for fun?"

_I find work fun thank you very much and spend the rest of my time trying to understand your riddles._

"I chase rabbits, I read crime books, and I listen to the scanner."

"You need something outside of law enforcement. Catherine has her kid, you know? I sometimes...ride roller coasters."

_I don't have a kid and I don't like roller coasters._

"What do you do?"

_Uh, I think this topic is getting old._

"Nothing."

"Okay. What do you like?"

_Can we please stop with this "Help Sara find a Diversion," game?_

"I don't like anything."

_There, that should shut him up._

"You've got to find something to like. You can't get too close to the victims."

_No wait, I forgot! He never shuts up! As for the victims, I have a heart unlike some people I know._

"She's special...to me. I can't help it."

"If you don't find something they'll all become special and you'll burn out."

_(He gets up to leave but turns around when he gets to the door.)_

"Sara."

_Oh my gosh, chill! I'll be off in a little bit._

"Okay. I'm almost done. I just got to log off."

_(He nods and walks out the door. I look at more listings.)_

_I'll just log off in a couple of hours._

_(I continue to look at listings and find one that matches our victim to a tee.)_

"You were out shopping. Your name is Pamela Adler."

_**End of shift in Grissom's office**_

_(I am sitting in front of his desk crying.)_

"The husband doesn't get it. He's so happy she's going to live. He doesn't realize she's going to be in a vegetative state for the rest of her life, and that kid, Thorpe, is going to be out of juvie in 48 months. It's not fair.

_He should pay for what he did to her._

_(Grissom sighs.)_

"It's the system."

_Our "system" is so pathetic that it lets murders wander around our streets!_

"What kind of system rewards the suspect when the victim is too tough to die?"

_(I wait for an answer but I don't get one.)_

_I knew he wouldn't have an answer._

_(I get up to leave.)_

"Sara...you've got to learn to let this go or you're going to spend all your time in hospitals trying to help the people you couldn't save."

_I thought we we're suppose to help them?_

"I wish I was like you, Grissom. I wish I didn't feel anything."

_(I walk out the door.)_

_I am really starting to think that he is incapable of feeling any emotion. I almost think he is heartless._


	19. No Special Ones

Grissom is such a hypocrite! I can't believe him! Since the Pamela Alder case, I worked a case with Warrick and then another case with Nick, Warrick, and Grissom. Grissom and I worked together alright, but we didn't have the connection we normally have because I was still a little pissed at him and he was still a little scared of me.

Our new case has to do with a missing baby. Grissom was doing fine until he found the baby dead in the field behind the house. Ever since then he has been mean with everyone and even snubbed me off a couple of times. I decided to confront him.

_**In the hallway outside the Break Room**_

_(I turn the corner and see Grissom walking down the hallway.)_

"Grissom?"

_(He turns around angrily.)_

"What?"

_Okay, down doggie!_

_(I walk right up to him.)_

"You told me a few weeks ago that nothing is personal. No victim should be special. Everyone follows your lead."

_I know that it's sad it was a baby, but your getting emotionally involved which is what you told me not to do. How you can tell me not to do something and then go and do it yourself!_

"Everyone didn't find that baby. I did. And that little boy is dead because someone lost their temper or screwed up, or god knows what. So, excuse me, but this victim is special."

_You're being so hypocritical! What happened to Pamela is just as important as what happened to this baby!_

For the rest of the case I tried to smooth things over with Grissom. I helped him as much as I could: I was encouraging, I smiled, and I offered to help him with extra stuff, but he still was cold to me until I broke the case.

_**Break room**_

_(Grissom is looking at three sets of prints and I am standing beside him.)_

"The mother's prints...the father's prints...and a set of unknowns."

"They're not unknown."

_This better get me at least a half smile._

_(Grissom turns to look at me surprised.)_

"I ran them against the employees of Steve Anderson's computer company disgruntled and otherwise. They belong to a Needra Fenway."

"And who is Needra Fenway?"

"Steve's secretary."

(I turn around and point to a printer.)

"So, of course, I checked out her printer. As I'm sure you know all printers have their own unique signature."

_He'll love this, I hope._

_(I point to the paper.)_

"These three...tiny vertical dots from Needra's printer match the ransom note perfectly."

(Grissom looks up at me with a huge smile which makes me smile a big smile to match his.)

_Thank you, God!_

We haven't exchanged many smiles or had any mind melds all this case. I hate that I get so close to being friends with him and then he just goes back into his shell and I am completely pushed out. I know in my heart I want to be more than friends but I know every relationship needs to start out as a friendship and he won't seem to let me do that. I don't know how much more of this Grissom roller coaster I can stand.


	20. Other Women

I don't what's been going on with Grissom lately, maybe he's been waking up on the wrong side of bed, but this is the second case where he has been cold and distant. The newest change is that he is now withholding information! Grissom assigned Warrick and I to work a hit and run case with him, where the victim was deaf. When Warrick and I went to speak to the principal of the local deaf college, she got all uppity and told us to send someone with more compatibility to the college. So, Grissom came with us next time to speak to her. Instead of just talking with her, he also signed. After, when I asked him where he learned to sign, he got all fussy and hostile.

_**Hallway outside Interrogation**_

"So, you going to tell us how you learned to sign?"

"No."

_Okay…_

"Well, the president of the college is a real whack job."

_She's totally nuts!_

_(He looks at me sternly.)_

_Uh-oh._

"Sara, you see deafness as pathology. For Dr. Gilbert, her deafness is not her handicap, it's her way of life."

_What do you even know about it? You're abandoning us and siding with a woman you barely know!_

_(I scoff at him.)_

"You know, I think you might be siding with her."

"As long as you see this as us versus them, you're going to have problems on this case."

_I will not have "problems."_

_(I just stare at him as he walks away.)_

_**Interrogation Viewing Room**_

_(Warrick and I are watching Grissom sign to the suspect from behind the viewing room glass. I turn to him.)_

"What was that all about? How does Grissom know how to sign?"

_Why won't he just tell us? Is it that BIG of a secret?_

"Do you know what Grissom drinks when he goes out at night?"

_What the…he goes out?_

"He goes out?"

"Exactly, who knows anything about that guy?"

_Yeah, I guess so._

**_Later in the Lab_**

_(I walk into the lab where Grissom, Greg, and Warrick are. I smile at them.)_

_Ha, I think I just the broke the case! I'll show Grissom I don't need his help or information for that matter, to complete things. _

"We have a lead. I found a partial serial number on the broken taillight."

_(He turns to me.)_

"I saw it. It's missing six digits. It's useless."

_Nope! Guess again!_

"Maybe on its own, but the tire tread database kicked out a match. The tire belongs to a

Ford Explorer. A p235-75, manufactured specifically for their SUVs. Only one with the same partial serial number is registered in Vegas."

_(He gives me a little smile.)_

_Ah, I love when he smiles at me…_

"What do you call a guy with blue-dotted blood, lice and keys to a Ford Explorer? You call him a killer."

_(I smile widely at him.)_

**_CSI Garage_**

_(Warrick and I are examining the suspect's car when I see Grissom enter with the principal from the school.)_

_How dare he bring her here! Wait, stay cool Sidle. Think of a wise crack to say._

_(I turn to Warrick.)_

"So...that's why Grissom's late."

_Yes! Good one!_

_(Warrick smirks at me.)_

"You just don't like other women in his life."

_Uh! He was not supposed to come up with a better one than mine and I do not mind! Okay…well maybe I do a little._

_(I give him a dirty look.)_

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

_I'm just glad Grissom didn't hear that._


	21. Improvement Needed

Even when Grissom doesn't agree with me and makes me mad, he can still be really cute. My new case with Nick had a headless body found dropped in the desert. The body turned out to be a gorilla. Another special thing about this case was that it was evaluation day, so Grissom was paying extra special attention to how we worked.

_**In the Lab at Night**_

_(I am looking at information on gorilla hunters when Grissom walks in.)_

"What are you doing?"

_What do you think I'm doing?_

"I'm working the case."

"What case?"

_Uh, I think your losing it Grissom._

"The skinned gorilla torso case found forty miles outside of Baker. Remember?"

"I don't think that is a case."

_It is so a case!_

"Well, it was at the start of shift. A crime has been committed."

_(Grissom looks down and see my computer screen and books about gorillas.)_

"I hate to be the one to state the obvious, but, uh...this isn't a human being we're dealing with, it's an animal."

"And…"

_Keep going…_

"And every time a dog gets run over you can't go to the vet to examine it."

_Ugh, Grissom! Don't be insensitive! Gorillas are the closest animal to humans, you should know that. _

"I can't believe you. You, with your pet tarantula your maggot farms, that Komodo dragon on back order...you should be more sympathetic to the senseless murder of an innocent gorilla."

_(Grissom smiles at me widely which makes me smile a little one back.)_

"You're right. I apologize. I was just checking to see where your head was at. For now, you're working alone. Catherine needed Nick."

_Awe shucks. I just hate working alone. Not! Well except when it's with you._

"That's a bummer."

_(Grissom shows me his clipboard.)_

"Your evaluation form: Overall performance…outstanding; Ability to prioritize...

_Uh oh…_

_(He turns to walk out the door, but then throws me a glance over his shoulder.)_

"Improvement needed."

_(He gives me a sly smile which makes me grin goofily back.)_

_Ugh, I can hate him and love him at the same time._


	22. Bait

I **HATE **serial killers! I **DESPISE** them! Serial cases are always the hardest to solve and sometimes become cold, so their never brought to justice. When I found out another woman was killed because of the strip strangler I was pissed. I wasn't even excited that I was getting to work with Grissom; I just wanted to solve the damn case.

_(I walk into the bed room of the crime scene where Grissom is and I see the young woman on the bed strangled to death.)_

_Not again!_

"Damn it!"

_(Grissom turns around to look at me.)_

_Why isn't he mad?_

"Damn that guy!"

_(Grissom takes me by the arm and leads me out into the hallway.)_

"Listen, no emotions in here."

_Easy for you to say since you don't have any!_

"He's escalating, Grissom."

"That's the pattern; it's a continuum."

_I know that! Don't try to talk to me like I'm a child!_

The case didn't have a lot of evidence so the Sheriff decided to bring in the FBI. Grissom didn't like this idea at all. I liked it because they had made me an offer to work as bait for the killer. This was the break I was waiting for! Grissom's way of doing things was so slow and people kept getting murdered, so maybe I could change that. When Agent Culpepper told Grissom, oh man, was he pissed.

_**Conference Room**_

_(I walk into the conference room where Grissom is standing.)_

"You're not serious."

_I'm not joking._

"I'm going to do it Grissom."

_(Grissom looks at me with a surprised and shocked face.)_

"I want to."

"You want to put yourself in the path of a psychotic killer?"

_If it means he'll be caught and brought to justice then yes._

"I'm trained in weaponless defense."

"Too bad, because that's what turns him on women fighting back. It gives him a greater sense of power when he makes his final kill."

_Ugh, it will be a controlled environment! There will be agents and cameras, etc._

"Grissom…"

_(I can see the anger flaring in his eyes.)_

"Sit down Sara!"

_Okay, maybe I'll do that…_

Although Grissom didn't like the idea, Agent Culpepper and I decided to go on with the operation, we just didn't tell Grissom…

_**Grocery Store**_

_(I'm getting wired up for the assignment when Grissom enters fairly mad.)_

_Oh crap…_

"This is a pretty flimsy excuse to get your circus up and running, don't you think?"

_But I want to do this!_

_(I walk up to Grissom.)_

"Look, this is my idea. I want to do something before another girl gets killed and..."

_(He holds up a hand to interrupt me.)_

"Listen to me, Sara. If we study his past, we can predict his future."

_But that takes too long Grissom!_

"You've been saying that for weeks. It's taking too long. Someone else is going to die and you're still going to be figuring it out."

_(Grissom just stares at me.)_

_I think he finally gets my point._

"Wish me luck."

_(I turn away from him and walk away leaving him by himself.)_

The operation ended up bombing. I was in that damn grocery store for three hours until one guy became interested and all he wanted to do was steal my wallet. I was so upset and disappointed. Even more so when Culpepper informed me that another woman was murdered by the Strip Strangler while we we're on the operation. Although he was still mad, Grissom was surprisingly gentle and nice to me.

_**Grocery Store**_

_(Grissom turns to look at me.)_

_I thought he was the guy._

"He met the profile."

_(Grissom hands me my wallet.)_

"Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is to do nothing."

_I guess…_

_(He takes me by the elbow and escorts me out of the store.)_


End file.
